Ode to the Shacks

We lost our iconic fishing shacks to a storm and record breaking tides last month. They were washed into the ocean. The footage of them getting battered and finally surrendering to the sea brought tears to my eyes. As a painter, I get so attached to places and landmarks, and the fishing shacks on Fishermans Point at Willard Beach have long been a favorite subject matter of mine. If I had to guess, I’d say that I have painted them over 100 times. I have always loved their shape and the way they sit perched on the small bluff at the end of Willard Beach and at the edge of the channel coming into the Portland Harbor. The views of the shacks themselves and the views from them of the surrounding islands and lighthouses are quintessential Maine. They will be missed by many.

I spent some time going through all of my photos of the shacks and playing in my sketchbook and finally creating some special little paintings of them. It felt good to visit them in my memory and with my brush. I hope to do a couple of larger pieces and a few works on paper, but for now, I’m sharing this little series of 6x6s.

I plan to make some notecards or a calendar with some of these images and donate a portion of the proceeds to support our coastal communities that were impacted by these January storms and extreme high tides.